Folio 25-1

Now. And forever.

Find your why

08

Understanding why yearbook matters opens up new opportunities in the planning process.

An acquired taste Not everyone dreams of being a yearbook adviser. See how four advisers found

12

themselves in the world of yearbook and why they decided to stick around.

Here’s an idea

24

Learn how hosting media days can benefit both the yearbook staff and the teams that participate.

SECOND LOOK ALEXANDER VAIL P ride FRANKLIN HS E L K G R O V E , C A L IF O RNI A

ABOUT THE GEAR: Sony A7iii and Tamron 24-75 2.8 at f3.2, 1/400th, ISO320, and 50mm in continuous mode.

On the sidelines at a football game, surrounded by people and action — that’s where yearbook photographers learn and practice their craft. But in many cases, memory cards are filled with almost-great catches, near misses and grainy images, especially once the sun goes down.

“This shot is really just a good example of giving photos a second chance,” Alexander Vail said. “Reviewing it in camera, I didn’t think it was anything special, but in post I was able to give it some new life with this crop and make something eyecatching for our opening.”

“I’d been shooting the student section of the football game for a little while, and I already had my exposure dialed. I had to keep up with the changing lighting as the sun set, but I was on top of it when this moment occurred,” the senior photo editor at Franklin High School said.

“I saw, from maybe 30 feet down the track, the whole cheer team getting ready to throw this one girl. I wasn’t actually in a great position for the shot, but I didn’t want to miss it. I essentially zoomed as tight as needed, shooting vertically to capture the whole team and flyer.”

Still, Vail didn’t see the moment until later.

“In Lightroom, I realized that this is a much better photo cropped as you see it here.

It sacrifices quite a bit of resolution, but it’s still large enough for the book.”

But their return also represents a greater understanding of what they achieved during their years with you. While they may occasionally converse with other teachers during their visits or when they see them at school events, it’s less likely they’re texting those former teachers when a college professor mentions a phrase from the yearbook world or when they find an ad that would make a great theme.

HE A R I T F R OM A NN

We’ve all said it before ...and the truth of the mantra still holds

I

f you’ve been a yearbooker ver y long, you’ve probably been in a conversation — or 15 — about how yearbook is forever.

You’ve likely preached it as you work w ith newbies — and when you’re reminding experienced staffers they can do better. Your mantra about creating the only permanent record of the school year probably echoes in the heads of staffers every time they recall their yearbook experiences.

A N D TH AT ’S A GOOD THING. It’s what brings former editors back to visit when they return to town for homecoming or holiday breaks.

Their presence is more than a chance for them to encourage your current sta f f to build on the foundation you’ve established on campus. It’s likely they’ll also share some tips for deadline success, choosing classes, navigating the college application process and life after high school.

Most yearbookers come to understand the importance of the volume they are creating. Hopefully, they’ve embraced the importance of including everyone on campus as many times as possible, rather than over-covering a select few.

They find the balance of covering major events and everyday occurrences to capture the year accurately.

AS FOR THE OTHER READERS, the reality of a yearbook’s value may not sink in for many years. Sure, distribution day is often a campus event. It’s always fun to see yourself and your friends in the book and, in many schools, the tradition of signing yearbooks is alive and well.

But g reater appreciation is more likely years — or decades — into the future, when a class reunion looms or curiosity sends someone back to those pages to find a specific answer or connect a name to a face.

But at some point, they’ll embrace those volumes that captured these years and be able to remember the people and events that made this year what it was. Add this to your list of goals: Producing a book that both delights readers when it arrives and provides details necessary for the year to live on indefinitely.

WITH CHRONO, YOU’LL FIND FRESHNESS, FUN AND FLEXIBILITY

I

love chronologically organized yearbooks because whether they are organized by season, month or week, a chronological coverage plan allows your staff to do M–O–R–E. If weekly coverage results in you just covering the basketball team for seven days and ignoring the cool preseason workouts and double-overtime win late in the season, then you’re doing it wrong. When your staff starts to cover events as they unfold, you’ll uncover more stories and discover fresh angles for reporting on the topics you’ve been covering year after year.

MEGHAN PERCIVAL, MJE M c LEAN HS • M c LEAN, VA

Yearbook is both a privilege and a responsibility. Now. And forever.

ANN AKERS, MJE Speaking of forever, she started yearbooking when they counted headlines to fit, printed photos to size and paid extra for cross-gutter bleeds!

WANT MORE coverage options?

MORE READER SERVICE

The best chronologically organized books help their readers find what they are looking for with the table of contents on the endsheet, subject indexes throughout the book, cross-referencing and detailed folios. Enochs High School’s Wingspan staff makes sure girls on the tennis team know to turn to page 28 with a mini table of contents on the monthly divider, page numbers listed next to the team photo in the gallery, and a topical table of contents in the index.

“I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO BE PRINCE BECAUSE I DON’T LIKE A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT IT WAS EXCITING AND FUN IN THE MOMENT. I ENJOYED BEING THERE WITH ALL MY FRIENDS,” JASON DIVIS SAID PRINCE DIVIS After being announced as Homecoming prince at the football Homecoming rally sophomore Jason Divis is surprised to say the least.

Divis prefers to be in the background rather than center of attention but enjoyed the experience anyways. The rally was to get students pumped for the game against Pitman High.

CONNECT FOUR Freshman Prince Ambida plays a game of connect four during Hello Week. Hello Week is a time for freshmen to get acclimated to high school life and feel welcomed by the upperclassmen. The week consists of many lunchtime activities and a dress up spirit week to help ease the transition.

ACADEMICS

SCREAM AND SHOUT Kylie Payne shows her spirit during her last football rally as a cheerleader. Payne has been on the cheer team for three years and it has become a big part of her life. “We had a team talk before and I remember getting a little emotional because it was my last football rally and I was a little nervous to perform but I loved hearing all my friends cheering for me. We did the dance so many times in practice so I didn’t have to worry about forgetting it,” Payne said. For Payne the hard work was all worth it when she saw everyones reactions to the performance.

LIFE

SPORTS

ALL IN THE

Baseball 144 Basketball 104 Cheer 66 Cross Country 76 Football 68 Golf Boys 122 Golf Girls 22 Soccer 92 Softball 140 Swim 130 Tennis Boys 124 Tennis Girls 28 Track & Field 134 Volleyball 48 Water Polo 54 Wrestling 90 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME Seniors Mia Navarro and Victor Castro enjoy the rising sun together at Senior Sunrise. Navarro has become close friends with the people she has met on social media, “I am more than content with who I’ve ended up surrounding myself with. One thing Senior Sunrise really highlighted was that I was still able to bond with old friends, even if we haven’t hung out in a while,” Navarro said.

Wingspan • JAMES ENO CHS HS • M O D ESTO, CA

9

LEFT

Job # x

School x

HJ

MICS51101L

Front

©2010 Herff Jones, Inc., All Rights Reserved

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Endsheet Endsheet Template Template

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Job # x

Academic Clubs 40 Acceptance 128 Communication 52 Connection 20 Cultural Diversity 197 Culture Clubs 42 Eco Friendly 185 Enochs Famly 161 Enochs Idol 114 Every 15 Minutes 118 Enrichment Clubs 36 Fall Homecoming 30 Family 100 Fashion 58 Fitness 165 Hello Week 14 Horseback Riding 189 Identity 128 Kyoto Exchange 44 Modeling 177 Modesto Finds 181 Music Mix 173 Passion 78 Pets of Enochs 193 Poetry Slam 72 Powderpuff 46 Pride 12 Senior Sunrise 16 Service Clubs 38 Summer 10 Winter Homecoming 84 Winter Travel 169 World Mag 148

Ag Sciences 62 Art Gallery 152 Biotech 116 Drama 74 Guard 26 Leadership 18 Marching Band 24 Music Programs 88 Robotics & Programing 102 Speech 82 Video Arts 126 Yearbook 138

THEME

Opening Theme 2 August/September 8 October/November 34 December/January/February 80 March/April 112 Closing Theme 330

REFERENCE Club Directory 304 Colophon 328 Faculty 156 Index 314 Senior Tributes 248 Seniors 202 Sports Directory 294 Underclassmen 158

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School x

Special Instructions

RIGHT

MICS51101R

Front

©2010 Herff Jones, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Same Front and Back

Black Ink

Includes Spot Color(s)

Process 4-Color (CMYK)

MORE LOCALIZATION OF EVENTS AND POP CULTURE

Powell Middle School’s yearin-review spread highlights events that had people at their school talking. From news with national impact — like the government shutdown and the Women’s March — to local stories like a petition to change the district’s snow day policies, or the photo of an egg that went viral on Instagram, these pages help make the 2019 Prowl truly a history book.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTENT-DRIVEN SPREADS

P rowl • P OWELL MS • LIT TLE TO N, CO

P r iam • LON GMONT HS • LO N G M O NT, CO

When you don’t have a student life section and a sports section, you need to look for ways to present content with visual variety while maintaining consistency.

A small team, short season and repetitive action can make a lot of golf spreads pretty boring.

Priam’s seasonally organized 2019 book makes sure golf still gets significant coverage as the primary story on a spread in the fall section. But accompanied by secondary stories of marching band and a chemistry class’ get-to-know-you activity, more readers now have a reason to stop — and engage with these pages.

Still afraid to change up your book’s ladder? More staffs than ever are taking a hybrid approach.

Consider organizing just one of your sections (Student life?

Clubs?) chronologically.

folio 02

forever • now

03

MI A MI A R T S S T UDIO 6–12 @ ZELDA GLAZER Enchanted | Miami, FL

Adviser: Alejandro Gonzalez Editors: Damian Garcia, Isabella Cuzan

CRAFTED BY YOU

CURATED BY HERFF

Here, we turn the reporting over to you to tell us the intent and inspiration behind the book.

Then, we’ll share some thoughts. When you’re ready for the world to see your book, DM us @HJyearbook.

We’re saving space just for you.

DAMIAN GARCIA “Since we are the newest arts high school of Miami, the spotlight has been placed on us. So, we showcased our students and faculty and how they shine throughout our school and community.”

ISABELLA CUZAN “It was heart-warming to see an entire school year’s worth of hard work paying off as the yearbooks were cracked open. I genuinely believe that all of our staff was on cloud nine, seeing our peers react so positively.”

THE PLAIN WHITE COVER

might have seemed confusing at first, but when it came in contact with sunlight, the theme appeared in school colors orange and blue. The muted palette continued throughout the well-designed volume showcasing mods, profiles and unifying content, all included to shine the spotlight on a greater mix of students. So smart to use a crowd-pleasing technique to literally represent the theme. There’s no way the message could be more clear. You DO have to step into the light to achieve the greatest impact.

And when you do, everyone can see your brilliance. //YBKhq

A ME RIC A N F ORK HIGH S CHOOL

The American | American Fork, UT Adviser: Braden Boss

BRADEN BOSS ADVISER “It was my first year advising

at this school. We studied older yearbooks from our school — and decided to hit reset. We wanted to bring back the legacy of the yearbook. That meant not having a verbal theme, but highlighting the book name instead. We used our school color and a classic font to honor our heritage.

This book was a change from the past. The staffers were selected because they were talented designers or writers or photographers, and they worked together in teams in those task-specific roles.

That meant we could tell the stories that captured the year.

Inspiration

It’s never too early to start dreaming about your next cover. Be sure to confirm your budget with your rep.

See hundreds of cover examples — and even more coverage and design ideas — online at herff.ly/showcase.

The staff was totally proud when we got the book and they saw the reaction of the school.”

THE VISUAL IDENTITY of this book is undeniable, as is its appeal. From the cover in, the staff’s goal of creating a book that would remain a favorite affected every aspect of the publication.

Equally nuanced and bold, their decisions combine to create a volume packed with delights for every owner. Those who favor powerful images were considered alongside their peers who wanted more verbal coverage and others who yearned for strong design. Talk about a crowd-pleaser! //YBKhq

folio 04

take note

05

F RE E S TAT E HIGH S CHOOL

Talon | Lawrence, KS Adviser: Laurie Folsom Editor: Caitlyn McAndrewsBeckman

CAITLYN M c ANDREWS-BECKMAN “We’d never done a concept before. We wanted to go deeper and show how personal stories and stories of the larger community were both necessary to tell the full story of the year.”

LAURIE FOLSOM A DV ISER “I loved that the staff was so excited to try something different. They were skilled — comfortable with breaking new ground — and capable of making it all work.”

ALL THREE KINDS OF STORIES — mine, yours and ours — introduce each of the eight character “sections” used to divide the content.

So personal profiles and stories of teams, clubs and other groups run alongside those of whole-school events. The product of a fullyconverged program, the media team succeeded in finding new and different ways to change things up, and school reaction was positive — for good reason. Magazinestyle designs co-exist with more traditional spreads, connected visually by the diagonals introduced on the intentionally understated cover, consistent with their idea that life is more interesting when you take the time to look deeper. // YBKhq

HOW IT WAS

DONE

Expanded theming

1

With the three-part theme: My/ Your/Our Story, it made sense to have three spreads of opening to explain each aspect.

2

Double dividers marked each new section.

A profile (your story) spread preceded the more traditional sectional introduction.

3

A single spread of closing — acknowledging all three kinds of stories — and a powerful parting page message wrapped things up.

JOSHU A HIGH S CHOOL Talon | Joshua, TX

Adviser: Kerri Cisneros Editor: Kelsie Steppick

KERRI CISNEROS ADVISER “This year, in a way, was the start of a new era of change. Our principal of 20-something years retired, and a new one came in with a different mantra, different set of rules and a whole new way of doing things.

Despite the changes, we stayed the same. We wanted to show that this is who we are — as a school and a family of students and staff. Nothing can change that. This is US.”

KELSIE STEPPICK

SOPHISTICATED DETAILS reflecting the staff’s goal to raise the bar set the readers on notice immediately. A crowd-pleasing die-cut cover created excitement before the well-developed theme drew readers into layers of coverage surrounded by blocks of soft color and a theme-advancing inclusionary device which allowed students to describe themselves. Masterful use of typography and white space typified the staff’s commitment to deliver a different book — to the point that even non-yearbookers noticed and commented. //YBKhq

“We were so excited to see the book, we unloaded them ourselves. When we opened the first box, there were screams. I definitely understand more now about how important the work we did will always be.

Our school loved the cover, the fresh design, that we told more stories and that we included more people.”

folio 06

take note

07

Ask your audience Survey the school.

Reach out to students at the beginning of the year. Questions should relate to your theme.

And, always ask if they have photos. Survey your faculty/staff, just like you survey students.

Ask coaches to point out athletes who contribute in ways that may not be transparent to spectators.

Be present on social media. Students are tech savvy. Watch what they post and look for story ideas.

Get your staffers out.

Leave the yearbook lab.

We use the Herff Jones interview webs. Not only does it teach your staff to get out there and talk to new people, but it also uncovers story ideas.

Never miss an opportunity to talk.

During club photo day, interview every club president. Really.

Conduct group interviews. Invite a half-dozen team or organization members in and conduct a group chat. Keep a video camera rolling to capture the conversation.

Spread the word.

Have the editors present the book’s theme at a faculty/staff meeting.

End the presentation by asking teachers and staff to help uncover stories.

Get teachers involved.

Email them throughout the year. Ask them what is going on in their classes. Also, ask them for additional story ideas. Personally talk to them, especially English teachers. They collect narratives and senior essays. These essays are full of great leads.

MAKE IT MEAN MORE When you discover your “why,” you’ll find clear goals and better focus

W

e make yearbooks. It is what we do.

But, why? When a staff is inspired by its mission, when the students understand their “why,” they’re motivated to do more than simply document the school year.

It’s not enough to create and sell books. We need to u ndersta nd why. One of the f irst activ ities I have our staff complete is the “Golden Circle.”

We watch Simon Sinek’s TedTalk based on his book, Start with Why, break into small groups, and discuss our what, how — and why. Once the staff has defined the “what” and the “how,” we determine our “why.”

A fter working through the process this year, we concluded that the yearbook provides a platform for every student’s voice to be heard as well as preserves the history of the year. These ideas drive our coverage choices. Our “why” helps determine our ladder and becomes the catalyst that drives us to excellence.

When a yearbook staff understands its purpose, the staff will have greater ownership of the book’s content and make sure it values all students. To do this, we must uncover both the individual stories as well as events that shape the year. We need to hear the voices of all students, not just the athletes and social stars, but the almost-silent whispers of everyday students.

We do this by listening — in the hallways, in the classrooms, in the library. By asking students and staff to share their stories and reporting them in a fair, honest and accurate manner.

We do all of this because it’s our “why.”

ROBIN CHRISTOPHER DEL NORTE HS • SAN DIEGO, CA

BEHIND THE BOARD. American Literature teacher Rachel Ross was in the yearbook room talking to the staff when she mentioned a student who made cool handplanes.

She shared some background about Taro’s boards and that he sold them, and the staff took it from there.

THROUGH DEAF EYES. Yearbook staffer Jack Iribarren was working on homework with a classmate when he learned Gabe’s parents were deaf and that he communicated with them using ASL. Jack asked if Gabe would be comfortable sharing his story in the yearbook, then interviewed him and wrote the story.

NOW I AM ME. The administration invited students to a staff meeting to tell their stories and share their struggles. When the staff talked about later, it turned out that EIC Ana Mladenovic worked with Conner at Ralph’s Grocery Store.

They talked and the story appeared in the yearbook.

Y

our time is now. You’ve spent years working hard to help produce incredible yea rbook s, but now you’re t he EIC. You might think this is your opportunity to kick up your feet and watch everyone else do all the work.

What you may not realize is that this is the most important job you’ve ever had. Here are truths of the most successful editors: THEY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PLAN. They think about what needs to get done, and they set up a plan to make it happen, work ing a f ter school or du ring lunches with their adviser to ensure the publication runs smoothly. Their plan isn’t just for the yearbook staff, but for themselves. Highly successful EICs plan their own time, even in yearbook. They ask themselves, “When will I help other staffers?” and “Do I have a plan to get my own work done?”

THEY ARE THE EDITOR THEY NEEDED WHEN THEY WERE A STAFFER. Strong EICs don’t just happen without a lot of reflection.

They think back to their first days on yearbook and remember what it was like knowing nothing and having everyone freaking out about deadlines. They are empathetic to the trials of being a yearbook staffer and are willing to help teach staffers skills, instead of taking it on and doing it themselves.

THEY WRITE THINGS DOWN. Not just a note in their phone, but they put notes ever y where they or others might need to see them.

The act of writing something down makes the memory process both v isua l a nd k inesthetic. A ha ndwritten ladder gives a more concrete understanding of the book — and your plan. A planner with deadlines helps with time management. Some of the best editors I’ve ever had, covered the edges of their computer screens in sticky notes.

KATIE MERRITT, MJE DARLINGTON SCHOOL • ROME, GA

Notes for great editors Find your truth in these gold standards They had a note for everything and even color coded them so they knew what was important. Once the task was done, they were able to get rid of that note.

THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND W H I L E M A N AGI NG A L I F E BALANCE. We get it. You have an entire courseload, not just yearbook, but think of this as your first fulltime job. You are managing a staff and meeting real-world deadlines while handling things you need to tackle outside of your happy little yerd world. A strong editor knows that good enough is neither good nor enough. This is where we circle back to the third point! Develop a planner system where you can manage your other class assignments but still leave room for your job. Leave a legacy for others to rise to in the future.

THEY STILL R EMEMBER TO HAVE FUN. Yearbook is unlike any other class. The relationships you form during your time in yearbook can be transformational. You are creating one of the most amazing things any high schooler can do, and you’re stuck together. Tensions can get high when everyone is stressing over t h at D e c em b er de ad l i ne .

Sometimes we just need a break.

Proper planning allows time for fun activities for your staff. The social well-being of staffers is just as important as the skills needed to create a yearbook. Your staff is your family, and the best way to support each other is to laugh together.

T radit ions • DEL NORTE HS • SAN DIEGO, CA

folio 08

why • how

09

Tips to create a truly collaborative media team

DURING A STAFF PHOTO SHOOT, Victor Kalil takes Theo Prineas’ photo. Putting yearbook staffers on TheLittleHawk. com staff page and Little Hawk journalists on the yearbook staff helped bridge the gap between the two staffs.

The media teams shared personnel, resources and content to tell as many stories of the school year as possible. PHOTOS BY JONATHAN ROGERS

Journalism is

JOURNALISM

I

n a growing trend, I have moved from solely advising a newspaper publication to now advising a newspaper, yearbook, web site and broadcast video team.

Adding yearbook to the schedule can be rough. I know 30 years ago when I was in high school, the staffs did not mix. Things hadn’t changed much when I tried to get them to work together years back. Yearbook lived in yearbook world and the paper team lived in newspaper world.

Over time, I have learned that the clans can be united. Here are a few tips to get your teams to work as one:

JONATHAN ROGERS, MJE CITY HS • IOWA CITY, IA

PREVIEWING THE SEASON, Julianne Berry-Stoelzle and Jesse Hausknecht-Brown interview Athletic Director Philip Hanson to create content that would be used in the newspaper, website and yearbook.

SURROUNDED BY AWARDS, the mantra of “Seek Truth and Report It” applies to all journalism students at City High. In addition to the shared 30-computer lab, there are four machines housed in a common space that is open to journalism students all day, including the photo and video shoot areas.

WANT MORE VIDEO?

GET THEM ON THEIR PHONES! A few years ago, our teams toured the Washington Post. The first thing they told us was to get teens to read and watch stories on their phones. To do this, they highly recommended videos.

The YouTube channel for The Little Hawk has grown during the past five years, but the best example I have seen for yearbooks came from Michael Simons and TesseraeYBK.com.

“Tesserae, and CPP’s other yearbooks before our merger in 2014, first produced video in 2011, via a DVD included in an insert in the back of the book. It was a simple, six to eight video projects, with students editing in Sony Vegas. We had two to three students working on the project, and they had other print duties throughout the year, too.

Once we merged to CorningPainted Post High School, our students were more deliberate in creating digital content to accompany the book, particularly in integrating one-minute highlight videos and short interview pieces utilizing the Aurasma app.

ONE CL ASS

O N E T- S H I R T

Let students sign up for journalism during any production class. Numbers and recruiting combine as probably the most important part of developing a journalism program. To keep my nu mber s up a nd get a l l t he best students out for journa lism, they can take yearbook during a “news lab” class. At City High, journalism classes are designated as News Lab, Ye a rb o ok Lab or Broadca st Lab, but veteran students can sign up for any hour of the day if they have a scheduling conflict.

A ll of the journalism teams wear one shirt — #littlehawkjournalism.

Beyond recruiting, getting a great team T-shirt is probably the second most important task of the year.

We a l so h ave st a r t ed add i ng a l l students to the staf fs of dif ferent publications. Yearbook staffers are on the online staff page for the news team and news reporters are on the staff page for the Red and White yearbook.

At first, students didn’t like yearbook using their stories or photos, but once they received credit they were happy.

This works the same way for yearbook photos being used on the website or in the newspaper.

ONE PHOTO FOLDER To create more of a “one journalism team” mentality we combined the Google Drive shared photo folder for the yearbook and newspaper staffs.

This allows for easy access and more collaboration between the teams.

A LL THE BE ATS All reporters have regular beats they cover for the different publications.

Those short news/sports stories get published on TheLittleHawk.com.

They’re required to have a “real” photo of a school event, caption, quotes and a well-written lead. Those captioned photos also appear on Instagram.

I know some yearbooks don’t release content before the book is published, but we share photos on social media, on the website and in the monthly newspaper. Because telling the stories of the year is all of our jobs.

The last three years have been our program's most prolific, with more than 40 videos produced each year by a team of five to seven video-only staff members. They produce short-form sports highlight features, longer journalistic pieces including stand-up interviews, advertisements for our business and marketing team, and a year-end theme introduction video that drops on distribution day. It’s always a favorite and is typically a narration of the book's theme copy.

The students use Canon Rebels (T6i and T7i), as well as 7D Mark II DSLRs and a variety of Canon and Sigma lenses, along with a Saramonic wireless lavalier microphone set.

Content is distributed throughout the year on social media and via YouTube, with some content held until distribution day. I'd estimate that roughly half of the video content goes out within two weeks of the event, and the other half is held for a distribution release. Their website, TesseraeYBK.com, links through to the program's YouTube channel, so there are two paths for our audience to find the content.”

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one media team

11

Yearbook can be an acquired taste...

B

est-case scenario, a teacher feels perfectly comfortable — and competent — in all aspects of teaching the classes assigned.

The joy of preparing for courses that have become second

nature after years of education is updating your lessons, changing things up, adding to your toolbox and watching the light bulbs go on as

the students master the subjects at hand.

But in more yearbook classrooms than not, teachers are volun-told that their new assignments come with the job. Luckily, there are lots of resources, and the yearbook community is friendly and generous. Often, even advisers who accept their roles without much preparation find themselves loving yearbook, the process of advising and the relationships they build with their staffers.

These teachers came to yearbook in different ways. In some cases, the class fit alongside their other duties; in others it seemed to clash.

But in this case, they each learned to make the class their own. >

PHOTO BY PAULETTE SUWA

TINA ALCAIN

K O N AW A E N A H S K EAL AK EK UA, HI

She’s been a yearbook adviser for 10 of the 12 years she’s been a teacher, but Alcain teaches Ag classes the rest of the day. “We have an actual farm and the students learn all about plants and animals.”

In addition to an orchard and an aquaponic operation, which combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, prawns or snails in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment, they raise chickens, ducks, sheep and fish.

The variety yearbook adds to her schedule is a plus, Alcain says.

“It’s a chance to be more computer savvy — and the kids feel so accomplished when they see the book. They work all year long on that one final, permanent product, so they learn to plan and to work together to record the details of the year.”

“We like to switch things up in the book too,” she added. “I love that we can create whatever we envision. I train the kids, inspire them and let them go. We meet our deadlines no matter what!” >

folio 12

it’s a process

13

FO R THE

LOV E

CHRISTINA MURRAY

DESERT MOUNTAIN HS SCOT TSDALE, A Z

A math teacher for 15 years, Murray has taught an array of courses, but it was just four years ago that her schedule first included yearbook alongside her Algebra II Honors and Calculus B/C classes.

“I’m still working on it,” she said, “but I definitely understand more each year.”

PHOTO BY PABLO VARGAS

So many factors have eased the transition.

Murray credits strong student leadership, lots of help from her rep and having both the former adviser and a knowledgeable bookkeeper on campus for helping her understand the intricacies of her new assignment.

PATRICK SICHER SOUTH DADE HS HOMESTEAD, FL

After a decade of teaching TV production classes, Sicher added other media courses, including yearbook, three years ago. Now the head of a one-man department, he spends his days helping students understand that everyone has a story to uncover.

“I always tell them, don’t just ask questions. The magic happens when they seek answers,” he explained. Both a sports and theater kid as a student, he realizes the importance of including people, being accurate and telling as many stories as possible.

As an adviser, he helps his students understand the importance of yearbook and teaches them the skills they need to succeed.

“In the process, they find their voices and they achieve things they had no idea were possible,” he said.

According to Sicher, yearbook is important “because it really is the complete story of the school year, no matter if you were in sports or marching band, no matter what classes you took — ­ even including the people you didn’t interact with.”

And he underscores that big-picture goal with a reminder for his students: A picture’s worth a thousand words, but a great caption expands it and makes it memorable! >

Plus, she says, having a retention strategy helps a lot. “The staffers can recruit people they can work with and those they know they can rely on.”

“I like getting to know the kids,” she said. “I get to work with a broader spectrum of students and I know them in different ways,” she said. “We work through problems in yearbook, just like we do in math classes. Process and logic are important, but sometimes there’s more than one right way in yearbook.” >

JANE NOH

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS SAN GABRIEL, CA Though she’s taught for seven years, Noh has advised for just three.

Relocating to diminish a crazy Southern California commute, she found herself advising yearbook and teaching an Integrated Math class that’s mostly algebra and statistics.

PHOTO BY ALEXA BRAS

PHOTO BY BRISA PARRA

“I’d always been interested in photography — and I did say I’d try it — but I am definitely hooked,” she explained. “I love getting to know my staff on a more personal level than in my other classes. It’s fun to see my staffers’ ideas become reality, and I love seeing the readers excited to see themselves in the yearbook.”

“I’ve gotten lots of great advice through the years; right now I have been working to help the students take ownership. I am a control freak, and that’s not been easy.” A tip she’d share with others? “It’s worth spending the extra time to develop those relationships. It pays off in so many ways later.”

In yearbook, students find a sense of belonging and see that what they do matters.

They learn they have a voice and can make an impact on other people. Like they say, “If it’s not in the yearbook, it’ll soon be as though it never happened.” And you can’t undo that later.

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it’s a process

15

YBK: I IT’S A BIG DEAL

t’s hard to guess exactly why the buy-rate at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas, is nearly twice the national average, but it’s not hard to understand how important culture and tradition are in the equation.

T hroug hout the school’s histor y, students have had the option to request a yearbook at registration, and that tradition alone delivers about 1,000 orders for the staff. But the staff works hard all year to keep Illumination front and center inside the school.

‘Jumbos’ help with campus relevance

Making distribution a big event is definitely a factor. The books are traditionally presented to seniors first, at their celebratory picnic. Back on campus, the other students receive their books the same afternoon at an allschool event in grade-by-grade waves.

“It’s a great tradition,” said Deborah Glenn, CJE, Blue Valley West adviser for the last 10 years. “In the end, the whole school gathers back together to sign books and reminisce about another year.”

THE TRADITION and build-up to delivery day mean that the whole school wants to participate — and that means book sales are strong at Blue Valley West.

Even though the picnic was rained out last year, seniors filled the gym floor to enjoy the yearbook.

PHOTO BY ALEXA CROUSE

But throughout the year, there are jumbos, poster-sized prints of candid photos, posted all around the school.

The idea presented itself more than five years ago when the staff watched a docu ment a r y on Pete Sou za , a photojournalist and former W hite House photographer with Kansas ties.

“It was kind of funny,” Glenn recalled.

“At one point he was explaining these ‘jumbos’ he’d hang — and change out every two weeks — in the White House.

CELEBRATING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, the yearbook staff prints poster-sized versions of its favorite photos and posts them around the school.

PHOTO BY REESE WHEELER

We all just looked at each other and asked why we had never done that. We have all these great photographers and the benefit of a great photo services team in the district office.

Now, we send them PDFs of staf f favorites, some in the book and many not, and they print out 14″ x 20″ slicks for us.”

They order two copies of each print, so staffers can deliver one to the subject of the image.

“We try to remind everyone on campus that we have photographers out there all the time capturing their memories,” she explained.

There might be as many as 50 jumbos on display at any given time, and Glenn estimates the staff has delivered thousands to those pictured.

“It definitely increases excitement for the book on campus, and we’ve been selling out in recent years,” she said.

“We truly have just one copy left this year and we’ll be taking it to convention for Best of Show.”

CHALKING A MESSAGE at the school’s main entrance reminds Columbus North students to buy a book. PHOTO BY KAELIN HANRATTIE

A NOTH ER TA K E

Traditions and twists are both factors in selling more yearbooks

A

s an alum of the yearbook program at Columbus North High School in Indiana, adviser Roth Lovins, CJE, smiles when he and his Log yearbook staff uncover successful ways to sell more copies.

They work hard, he says, to create a great record of the year and they want as many students as possible to have a copy of the book so those memories will be accessible forever.

“We’re always trying new things to sell more books,” he said. “More reminders in and around school. More messages sent home. Messages on more channels.

They are all a part of our plan.”

Now i n it s s e c ond ye a r, L ov i n s introduced a four-book package which allows parents to purchase a set of yearbooks for incoming freshmen.

“ T here’s some add it iona l record keeping,” he admitted. “But it’s worth it because they’ll never be disappointed when we sell out, they don’t have to worry about forgetting to buy and they save some money. And we have the guarantee that those students are buying all four books.”

As word spreads among families, he hopes the package becomes a tradition that lasts. “It just makes so much sense,” he said.

O t her t i me s, t he st a f f lo ok s for something unexpected. Whether it’s chalking huge sales messages on the walkways at the main entrance or papering the commons with order forms just before a price increase, they want to remind people that there is limited time to purchase a yearbook.

“It’s finding more ways to get the word out,” concluded Lovins. “And making the book as easy to buy as possible.”

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make yearbook matter

17

40

%

HJ Total

Crown finalists

36

90

15

29

Pacemaker finalists 23

50

52% Gold Crowns 46

%

50 % Pacemakers

11 22

50 % Books on both lists 16

32

43 106 41% Total books honored

The most nationally recognized books are

BOUND

BY US

We love yearbooks — and you clearly know how to create great ones! Beyond the 43 2018 cu stomer yea rbook staffs Herff Jones celebrated f or w i n n i n g N S PA /AC P Pacemaker and CSPA Crown honors was a broader view: No other printer’s customers earned more awards — in any categor y. Mag ic happens when creativity, passion and innovation are teamed with support, great resources and attention to detail.

Buzzer BROOK VILLE HS LY NCHBURG, VA CSPA GOLD CROWN & NSPA PACEMAK ER

Farrier | Mirman School | Los Angeles, CA

Roots | Mesquite HS | Gilbert, AZ

Pantera | Mead HS | Spokane, WA

• GOLD CROWN | • SILVER CROWN | • PACEMAKER | • PACEMAKER FINALIST

The Clan | McLean HS | McLean, VA

Priam | Longmont HS | Longmont, CO

Westwind | Lewis-Palmer HS | Monument, CO

Falcon Nation | Katherine L. Albiani MS | Elk Grove, CA

Royal Purple | Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS

Wingspan | James Enochs HS | Modesto, CA

Arbutus | Indiana University | Bloomington, IN

Ingenium | Greenfield Jr. HS | Gilbert, AZ

Columbian | George C. Marshall HS | Falls Church, VA

Nexus | Fishers Jr. HS | Fishers, IN

Traditions | Del Norte HS | San Diego, CA

Tesserae | Corning-Painted Post HS | Corning, NY

Lion’s Roar | Christ Presbyterian Academy | Nashville, TN

Odyssey | Chantilly HS | Chantilly, VA

Rampages | Casa Roble HS | Orangevale, CA

Buzzer | Brookville HS | Lynchburg, VA

Reflections | Brighton HS | Brighton, CO

Calumet | Arapahoe HS | Centennial, CO

Titanium | Antelope HS | Antelope, CA

RECOGNITION E ARNED BY 2018 YE ARBOOKS |

BRET T HASTIE ADVISER

“The staff wanted to tell the quintessential story of that year. We studied old yearbooks from our school and talked about what made us love certain aspects of each, working to pinpoint and then project the essence of these vintage books into our own. We found a charm in the mundane moments our predecessors featured, even all these years later and without knowing a single person covered, and felt more connected to the legacy of our school. We proceeded with a renewed desire to capture these as well as major events and deliver them all frozen forever so revisiting the year was as easy as going back to our book. There was lots of talent on staff, lots of big personalities and many hours of work. The leadership team refused not to strive for excellence.

And when the book delivered, there were tears. We only had four returning staffers last year, so before the awards ceremonies and after — much of our communication and celebration was by text and phone with former staffers. It’s great and important for the staff to be part of an ongoing process that does so much to inspire future staffers to make another meaningful book for our school.”

MAKENA BUSCH, CJE ADVISER Pantera ME AD HS SPOK ANE , WA NSPA PACEMAK ER

“Our goal was always to make the best book for our school. That’s what I want my students to be proud of forever — the school loving their work. We started submitting for critique and carefully considered the advice as we made decisions. We knew following the NSPA guidelines would help us create a book with multiple layers of coverage and reader-friendly content, while holding us accountable for including as many students as we could. Then the staff started having serious discussions about merging a theme with a photography style. We wanted our readers to feel like they belonged at our school, and in our book. When we learned we were Pacemaker Finalists for the first time ever, it was a sense of utter shock and disbelief. We’d been working hard for years, but then it all seemed so fast. It’s still hard to believe we really won! The day the local news channel came in to interview us a real sense of pride took hold. The staffers are still trying to wrap their heads around the achievement while keeping their eyes squarely on what remains the most important: Our students and their stories.”

ELLEN AUSTIN, MJE ADVISER Talon T HE HARK ER SCHOOL SAN JOSE , CA CSPA GOLD CROWN

“It’s a process. We knew that, in order to improve our book to the level we wanted Talon to be, it would take years — not one or two years, but three or four or five. The original editors who opted to go ‘all in’ knew that, while we wouldn’t be on the radar of the awards committees for a long time, the changes we were making would build a better, more inclusive and more engaging book for our school community.

Our school noticed the change from the start of our ‘re-boot,’ especially a focus on telling stories in better and more inclusive ways. Our book sales have also gone up every year for the past five years, so we are getting concrete feedback that our path is the right way for us. At some point, outside advisers and other journalism folks also noticed and suggested that we were getting ‘that close.’ By then, it didn’t matter. Awards were a goal way out there on the horizon, helping us to move forward as we kept striving... but it wasn’t the end focus.

When we won, it was a celebration for the previous five years of Talon staffers who were dedicated to delighting our local audience with a yearbook they love.”

The Scrapbook | Westfield MS | Westfield, IN

Calibre | Western HS | Davie, FL

Chieftain | West HS | Torrance, CA

Cayuse | Walnut HS | Walnut, CA

Iditarod | Tuscarora HS | Leesburg, VA

Crag | Turner Ashby HS | Bridgewater, VA

Trillium | Trumbull HS | Trumbull, CT

Jamboree | Toby Johnson MS | Elk Grove, CA

Techniques | T. Jefferson HS for Science & Tech | Alexandria, VA

Talon | The Harker School | San Jose, CA

Tiger | Texas HS | Texarkana, TX

Templar | Temple City HS | Temple City, CA

The Centaur | Strawberry Crest HS | Dover, FL

Summit | Smoky Hill HS | Aurora, CO

Eagle Eye View | Sierra MS | Parker, CO

Genesis | Rock Ridge HS | Ashburn, VA

Sentry | Robinson MS | Fairfax, VA

Pilot | Redondo Union HS | Redondo Beach, CA

The Prowl | Powell MS | Littleton, CO

The Hawk | Pleasant Grove HS | Texarkana, TX

Trail | Overland HS | Aurora, CO

folio 18

2018 award winners

19

Embracing this concept will naturally improve your storytelling — and your readership

A

ll right, here’s the secret: We care about people, not things. That’s it. When it comes to yearbook copy, we want to remember how we felt about the year, not just the dates on which events happened and what their outcomes were.

Sure, it’s nice to know the football team won state, but what we really want to read about is how the senior quarterback overcame a broken leg to throw the game-winning touchdown pass.

Or how his mother ran out onto the field afterward to hug him while both cried. That’s so much more compelling than simply telling the readers the team won and the school was happy with their accomplishments.

So, how do we get these stories? Well, it’s all about the interview. If you ask the interviewee about winning the game, he’ll tell you it felt great. But then ask “Why?” Follow that with “What was the hardest thing about this year?” Or “What was the biggest surprise the team had this year?”

Those open-ended questions allow the interviewee to reminisce on the event and tell the human side of the story in addition to the outcome. We want to know how he felt about the win — and the season — and what led up to that. That’s something to which we can all relate.

Sometimes it’s even as easy as asking, “What was the dominant emotion for you this year?” And then you follow that up with the best question of all: “Why?” W h e n yo u c a p t u r e t h e hu m a n experience, the copy in your yearbook is much more interesting, and it records what it felt like to be a student at your school this year. The cast of characters and the circumstances will make the story unique.

The stories of the year need to be told by your student body, so fill your copy with copious quotes. Let them tell the year’s story, not the writers’ words; the staff just sets the stage.

Remember, humans really do care most about people and their emotions during experiences — not things. We can all relate to how someone feels, and those feelings are what bring the stories to life.

HEATHER NAGEL, CJE CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN ACADEMY NASHVILLE, TN AFTER ADMIRING THE GOLDEN TROPHY and celebrating their state football title came interviews with the yearbook staff. Adding quotes from several members of the team in the caption allowed the staff to capture more emotion and detail. PHOTO BY PRESTON ROTEN

JOYFUL noise

1.

kindergartners sing and sign a classic Christmas tune

by Lucy Ellis

editor Emma Stoebner

WHEN SHE FIRST LEARNED about the special performance, kindergartner Chloe Chrisley was unsure that she and her classmates could pull it off.

“I had never done anything like sign language and was nervous when I found out that we were going to learn it. I didn’t know if I could remember all of the motions, but we practiced it in music class, so I was able to do them all without messing up during the Christmas Program,” Chrisley said.

While Chrisley became confident by only rehearsing at school, kindergartner Shaw Sherwood believed in a different approach for practicing.

“When I found out what we were doing, I knew that the only way I could learn it was if I did the motions over and over again.

Every night I practiced singing and doing the hand motions 10 times in a row in front of my family,” Sherwood said.

As they ran through their performance, an unfamiliar tune quickly became a familiar favorite of the kindergarten class, especially for kindergartner Logan Dobyns.

“I did not know ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’ before, but it ended up being my favorite song of the whole program. It was a different way of looking at the story of Jesus,” Dobyns said. “Who knew that God could save the whole world through a little baby? It was all so interesting to me.”

Because of this, the kindergartners were able to bring a little Christmas spirit into the hearts of many.

What’s our

ESSENCE?

“The Middle School Choir sang many songs in Christmas Joy, including my favorite, ‘Candlelight Carol.’ It was slow and beautiful, yet it was also extremely difficult. I was a soprano, so the verses I sang were more high-pitched. People told us that we would not be capable of performing that song at our age, but we ended up accomplishing it perfectly. Singing the songs at Christmas Joy reminded me of the true message of Christmas and the hope that it continued to bring.”

-Olivia Fritts [8] photo Sami Kate Kickert “Praying over the school at the Christmas Chapel made me realize how thankful I was to be in the position of Student Body President.

This school meant so much to me for the previous 13 years, and becoming Student Body President was my way of giving back. The role was fitting for me because I was able to spend time organizing events such as the school dances and Christmas dress-up days.“ -Payne Trapnell [12] photo Preston Roten

3.

2.

What’s our HOPE?

“The Heads of Houses all sat down a couple times to plan everything out floor by floor before we actually decorated. It was special to be a part of making it all happen, and the decorations put me in a better mood.

It was an easy way to lighten the mood in the building and put a smile on everyone’s face during the stressful exam season. My favorite floor was the second floor because I think the ‘Central Park’ area in the atrium was the most well executed, and it made the atmosphere feel like Christmas.”

-Maggie Bevins [12] photo Eliza Krodel

4.

CHRISTMAS we determine festivity

“Since I have the talent for singing, I looked forward to the Christmas Program rehearsals because I could perform songs while hanging out with my friends. I was committed to my singing, so during practice I stood the whole time, even though most people didn’t. My favorite songs we sung were ‘Emmanuel’ and ‘Hope Came Down.’ I preferred ‘Emmanuel’ because I used my deep, dark voice, and I preferred ‘Hope Came Down’ because it was more high-pitched. I wasn’t nervous for the program because I had prepared at school and on my own at home. My parents came to watch me perform, but I didn’t see them until after the show because the crowd was huge. The Christmas Program made me eager for Christmas day, when I would sing the songs I learned around the house. The rehearsals and performance put me into the Christmas spirit.”

-Evie Frahm [1] photo Laura Finley Hasenbank

This line defines OUTER edge of 1 pica bleed margin.

1. CELEBRATION STATION Full of joy, kindergartner Logan Dobyns, along with kindergartners Jacob Meoli and Chloe Chrisley, celebrates the most anticipated season. “Christmas time was my favorite time of the year because it was also when my twin brother, [kindergartner] Tanner [Dobyns], and I had our birthdays,” Dobyns said. “First, my brother and I celebrated each other, and then we celebrated Jesus that same week.” photo Laura Finley Hasenbank 2. CHRISTMAS CONCERT Surrounded by bright festivities, seniors Tate Johnson, Seth Jones, Margaret Spodnik, Catherine Weeks, Abigail Francis, Baleigh Jones, and Anna Grace Dickson spend their free time in the Candy Cane Forest decorated atrium during the Christmas season. “While we were sitting on the senior couches, [Dickson] showed [Jones] and me a website that played surround-sound music when we listened to it with earbuds,” Francis said. “We looked up many different popular songs ranging from pop to rap, and I freaked out because it felt like I was at a concert.” photo Heather Nagel 3. PURSUING NEW PASSIONS As she shines under the bright stage lights, seventh grader Emercyn Randolph gazes out towards the audience. “Christmas Joy was my last time performing with the Middle School Dance Team because I decided to play basketball instead, so it was an emotional night,” Randolph said. “It was intimidating to go on stage with the eighth graders, but they made me feel comfortable since they knew it was my last time performing.” photo Sami Kate Kickert 4. WINTER WONDERLAND With Christmas tunes in the air, senior Gracie Jernigan and freshman Nicholas Roth spend their Sunday afternoon at the upper school to recreate the North Pole scene from Elf. “When we passed the snowman we had made in the hallway, [Jernigan] and I laughed at it,” Roth said. “She did the eyebrows, and I did the beard, so they were both different colors.” photo Eliza Krodel

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All across the country, there are teachers in their first and second — and third — years as advisers who get to the end of the day and think, how in the world? It gets easier, but until then, here’s some advice.

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DISCUSSING THEIR EXCITEMENT and nervousness, both the copy and captions included quotes and anecdotes about the kindergartners’ preparation for the school program.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT accompanies the profile of one of the youngest teachers on campus. His voice plus those of others make the story more interesting.

THE CONNECTION between the dominant photo, the headline and the copy is reinforced when a senior runner reflects on the season and her career.

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TAKE IT ONE SPREAD AT A TIME

Conquer the workload by planning and charting out mini-deadlines for your students. Whether you decide to team them up or assign work individually, make sure they know that deadlines are safety nets. Without deadlines, the work keeps piling up.

FIND A FRIEND

Chances are, you’re the only yearbook adviser in your school and no one else quite “gets you.”

Look for another adviser in your district or area. Perhaps your rep can help you find others who would be willing to take a text or phone call when you need a lifeline.

ASSIGN EVERY LITTLE THING 2.

1. we are

INSPIRED

4.

“At our Regional Meet, which was our last meet, [senior] Jimmy Patterson gave the Braveheart speech.

It was a tradition that all cross country seniors did.

Being the only senoior, he hopped on my back before the JV race with a stick and, in William Wallace manner, gave the speech. He was trying to rally everyone before the race. As he was speaking, I heard someone from another team say, They’re doing it again, so it was definitely a long-held tradition that even teams from other schools recognized. I think it was the energy that inspired us the most, though. Since he had been on the cross country team the longest, he had seen other people like [alumnus] Luke Ellis give the speech and he continued that tradition.”

-Nickolas Funk [11]

3.

5.

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1. IMPRESSIVE IMPROVEMENTS Hands on hips, senior Gracie Jernigan reflects on her four years of cross country. Jernigan’s first race time of freshman year was 31.30, whereas her last race time of senior year was 26.08.

“Freshman year in cross country was a struggle for me, and running was not my forte, but with all the training and persistence, I experienced unimaginable growth,” Jernigan said. photo Tucker Photography 2. BIRTHDAY BOUND Embraced by seniors Elaina Joy Sanders and Lily Thomas, senior Briley Thomas is celebrated by her teammates for her 18th birthday. “I didn’t want to have to go to a meet on my birthday at first, but then my teammates were there for me and threw me a little birthday party,” Thomas said. “They even made me a sign to wear during the race that said, ‘Don’t pass me; it’s my birthday.’” photo Tucker Photography 3. RUNNING HIS COURSE Strength in his stride, junior Nelson Lamkin runs alongside sophomore John Spodnik with grit and determination. “In the past, I had always played basketball, but this season, I decided to switch to cross country so that I could be active in a sport while still being able to have time to focus on academics,” Lamkin said. “It wasn’t difficult for me to switch sports this season, thanks to the team creating a smooth transition. I could always count on my mom to be at the finish line or around a turn cheering me on at the meets.

Seeing her gave me the boost of confidence and motivation that I needed for each race.” photo Tucker Photography 4. RUNNING WITH A REASON Junior Sidney Hinson races a rigorous trail with an impactful motivation. “At out Region Meet, we all wore pink and teal bows for [Super] Sophie [Dadej], which was really encouraging for us,” Hinson said. “Towards the end, someone told me, ‘You’re doing this for Sophie,’ and that motivated me.” photo Tucker Photography 5. LESS STRESS With arms and legs pumping, junior Matthew Miller’s need for speed is showcased in his cross country race. “Being involved in a sport like this became my own way of working off any stress I endured during the day,” Miller said. “Running was something I had been passionate about since I was in sixth grade, and I have fallen more in love with the sport. I even ran during off-season to keep me active and prepared for track in the spring.” photo Tucker Photography

we are RESILIENT

“At the State Meet, we all improved our times. It was perfect weather, and we ran with much effort. At the end, three of us got disqualified because our uniforms didn’t match. [Freshman] Anni Routh and I were in the top 15, but because we were disqualified, they took out our names.

Coach [Beth Sheridan] saw and fought for us to get our spots back, so we eventually did.

It was hard because it took so much work to get to state, and being disqualified for something as seemingly insignificant as wearing the wrong shorts was gut-wrenching, but it just enhanced the exhilaration at the end and made the celebration even sweeter.”

-Lacy Sheppard [10] photo Tucker Photography

US CROSS COUNTRY we determine grit

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team portraits and scores 256-265

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AS SENIOR GRACIE JERNIGAN raced against the clock, she remained focused amidst the crowds lining the course cheering on the runners.

“The State Championship was when I pushed myself the most. It was my last meet, and I wanted to do well to help the team so that we could place at Steeplechase. There was a hill approaching the finish line after I had already run three

miles, so I felt dead as I charged up to it.

That was where I had to push because I felt like my body was shutting down. However, with the finish line in view, I just kept running,” Jernigan said.

Jernigan constantly tore down mind barriers while running, committed to keep going.

“As I started to run, all that would go through my mind was how painful it was,

FINISHline

but once the overdrive kicked in, I just ran.

When the meet was finished, I felt relieved to be done and had a strong sense of accomplishment. Freshman year, I didn’t think I could do cross country, but I grew so much over four years. When I saw the finish line, I knew everything I had trained for was worth it,” Jernigan said.

Not only was Jernigan determined in running, but also in consuming loaves of bread.

“Carb-loading is something some runners do before a big race, and every year before Regions, we had a team dinner at the Spaghetti Factory to carb-load. It was always a tradition for the team to eat one more loaf of bread than the year before. This time, it was 24 loaves, and eating them almost took more determination than running the actual race the next day,” Jernigan said.

senior discovers determination in her last season of cross country

by Kate Posey

editor Grafton Brittle

Lion’s Roar • CHRIST PRESBY TERIAN ACADEMY • NASHVILLE, TN Job # 17038

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There are lots of ways to yearbook, and we have loads of resources to help you find the way that works for you. Look for our weekly emails or go to herff.ly/adviserassistance to see them all.

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Reward staffers for all the little (thankless) jobs with weekly grades. Updating scoreboards with Friday night’s game, checking in with the Spanish Club sponsor, recording the marching band’s latest awards — it’s easy to gather incrementally, but tough to hunt down later. And, pics or it didn’t happen.

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get personal • find your way

21

Ms. Craghead likened this to a student leaving the room to get a Coke: Put your money in the machine, out pops a cold can; walk up to a source, get a quote. The end.

But getting a quote is not the same as conducting an interview that will result in full, detailed responses from a student or teacher. Details that will make your yearbook copy come alive and be worth reading, not just on the day your book comes out, but also 10, 20, even 30 years later.

T H E

ART O F

T H E

INTERVIEW It’s so much more than just getting a quote

I

had the privilege, for several summers, of teaching at journalism workshops with Kathy Craghead, the late (and very great) long-time yearbook adviser at Mexico High School in Missouri. She often told the story of looking up from her desk and seeing a yearbook staff member preparing to exit the room.

Her question: “Where are you going?”

The student’s answer: “To get a quote.”

TONY WILLIS CATHEDRAL HS • INDIANAPOLIS, IN

First, you must cover an event at the event. You cannot write about a game, play or concert if you are not there in person, from its beginning (or even before) to its conclusion (or even after).

Sending a text a month later and asking questions such as, “What was your favorite part of homecoming?” doesn’t provide anything more than a canned response that could be printed year after year — after year.

If you’re covering an event, you have to show up. You have to see the sights, smell the smells, feel the chill in the air at a football game, hear the audience crack up at the line delivered by a freshman at the spring musical.

Those details will add to your copy.

Talking to your sources at the event allows you to provide perspective along with their immediate reaction.

Have a yearbook staff member follow a photographer as she shoots an event and interview the photographer’s subjects immediately. A sking for a response of the just-crow ned homecom i ng queen at ha lf t i me elicits much more detail than asking her to comment six weeks later when you’re finishing the spread.

While you need to prepare a list of questions, be flexible. If your source provides you with information you didn’t expect, ask a follow-up or two.

And consider ending with this, no matter your topic or source: “Ten years from now, what do you think you will remember about this event/game/ occasion?” That question provides perspective and allows your source to see and share the big picture.

FIVE TIPS FOR CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW Be prepared.

Collect background information and research (and this might include talking to individuals who you never quote in your copy) and preparing questions.

Be there.

Conduct the interview where the event occurs.

Interview the drum major as she comes off the field at the BOA Grand Nationals, not three weeks later in the school library.

Be flexible.

Yes, be prepared, but don’t just stick to your list of written questions.

A good interview is a conversation, not a question-andanswer survey.

Be in the moment.

Take complete, detailed, handwritten notes and also record the interview.

Don’t depend on technology to do your job.

Be organized.

As soon as possible after the interview is over, review your notes. Listen to the recording and transcribe the interview, both your questions and the source’s answers.

Doing so is the key to getting correct information and accurate direct quotes.

PHOTOS FROM : Daedalus , NORTHE ASTERN HS, MAN CHESTER , PA • Pat r iot , FLORIDA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL , MIAMI, FL • Ragnarök , VALHALL A HS, EL CA J O N, CA

T he O d ysse y, STEINBRENNER HS, LU T Z, FL • Hor net ’s Nest , WIL SON MEMORIAL HS, FISHERSVILLE, VA • Marquee , A.W. DRE YFOOS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, WEST PALM B E ACH, FL • B ear T racks , BASTROP HS, BASTRO P, T X • T he P redator, M cKEEL ACADEMY OF TECHNOLO GY, L AK EL AND, FL

folio 22

be there

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s advisers, we look for ways to make reporting easier for our students. It starts with giving them the skills to take the pictures, ask the right questions, k now the r ules of the ga me, a nd understand how to write the captions and stories. But for many teachers, the starting point may be the roadblock.

T h is is t he pr i ma r y pu r pose for establishing what we call “Media Day” at our school.

It’s a chance for staffers and athletes to gather in one place and begin the conversation, which leads to the story of their season. The relationships that begin at this one event will help reporters have stronger connections and better access to the year’s story.

Media days make sense SETTING EXPECTATIONS The roles for the students can be as detailed as you want, or you can have a few perform all of the roles. We explain to our media students that some will sit in the press pool and ask questions and take notes, and some will oversee the operations.

O u r t heor y i n e st a bl i sh i ng t h i s event stems from the notion that the foundation for covering a team is built long before the first game — or in some cases the first win or loss. We cover all teams, and for those that do not win as much as you hope they would, being present at the beginning goes a long way in proving to them that you really care about their passion for playing their sport.

HOW DO YOU STA RT ?

The first step is to find a team who is willing to buy in to this experience.

In our sit uation, we had a lready established a working relationship with the varsity boys basketball coach through a weekly podcast and other regular features.

It was actually Coach Travis Carr who pitched the idea to me. He told me he would prep his team by informing them of what they were expected to wear, what type of questions they would need to be prepared for and how to respond.

The success of the media day depends deeply on the cooperation of the coaching staff.

The next step is to meet with the coach and schedule a date and location in advance of the season. Our date is set for the week after tryouts end. This is also before they play their first game.

Since the purpose is to establish a working relationship, it is best to do this before the first game is played.

ALL SMILES, the Prince George basketball team poses as yearbook editor-in-chief Emily Whitehead ‘19 shoots portraits at Media Day. GETTING REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE, newspaper editor-in-chief Kattie Iwanski ‘18 (right) asks a question at Media Day. USING A TRIPOD, broadcast director Kyla Nase ‘19 records the press conference. PHOTOS BY MARISA KARGBO

MAKE IT YOUR OWN This event can be covered with as little as a group of eager students with smartphones, or you can bring out the heavy equipment. The more equipment you bring, the more professional the event feels.

The force behind Folio: Kyle Lewis, Cindy Dubé, Betsy Brittingham and Ann Akers

We thank those in our network for their contributions: Robin Christopher, adviser Del Norte HS

Katie Merritt, MJE, adviser Darlington School

Heather Nagel, CJE, adviser

Christ Presbyterian Academy

Meghan Percival, MJE, adviser McLean HS

Jonathan Rogers, MJE, adviser City HS

Chris Waugaman, MJE, adviser Prince George HS

Tony Willis, adviser Cathedral HS

Brooke Elmore, student photographer Lakeshore HS • Stevensville, MI provided the cover photo.

The basketball coach also gives us some background notes a few days before the event to help us prep questions. Sometimes you can have some very shy players when they are placed in front of a group, so having ver y tailored questions can ease that tension and make the team feel your reporters know what they are talking about.

W H AT A R E THE G OA LS? If nothing else, after this event we hope that the players and coaches know the reporters, and that those reporters feel comfortable talking to the coaches and players.

The team photo and the mugshots help the yearbook, web, newspaper and broadcast staffs out by having stock footage to use in the various coverage.

They also are given to the team so they can produce their own marketing m at er ia l s l i ke p os t er s , r o s t e r s a nd schedu le s. A good work i ng relationship goes a long way.

CHRIS WAUGAMAN, MJE PRINCE GEORGE HS • PRINCE GEORGE, VA

ROLES FOR STUDENTS The moderator calls on the reporters and keeps the press conference going.

The reporters take notes and ask questions.

The photographers take photos of the team at the press table, the players in front of a backdrop, the team photo, and document the overall event.

The videographer captures footage for a quick review package and for promotional purposes advertising the home opener on social media.

Social media editor covers the event live by posting to our different social media outlets

COLOPHON Herf f Jones’ Folio magazine serves as inspiration and education for students and advisers and all who share an interest in scholastic journalism.

To create volume 25, issue one, vegetable-based inks were applied to 80-pound uncoated paper with a Heidelberg® Speedmaster XL 106 press in Herff Jones’ Kansas City printing facility.

Folio was produced using Adobe® InDesign® CC 2019, Illustrator® CC 2019 and Photoshop® CC 2019.

All type, graphics and photos were output via a Fujifilm Luxel Vx9600 Violet CTP Device wide imagesetter, outputting direct-to-plate (CTP) 2400 dpi at 175-line screen.

Herff Jones and Herff Jones logo are registered trademarks of Herff Jones, a Varsity Achievement brand. Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. And, Heidelberg is a registered trademark of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. R e m e m b e r, t h i s m a g a z i n e is for inspirat ion, not duplicat ion.

Staff members from our international network submitted their work for consideration. Each is credited to the extent submitted by the staff member with photographer name and school information. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PORTION OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE DUPLICATED, REPRODUCED OR PHOTOGRAPHED FOR ANY USE, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND SLIDE SHOWS, WITHOUT PRIOR, WRITTEN CONSENT FROM HERFF JONES, THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OF THIS PUBLICATION. THE WORK DISPLAYED REMAINS THE PROPERTY OF ITS CREATORS.

25 ONE

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